NY Times Article:
Mad Pride Fights a Stigma

Liz Spikol, a 39 year old writer who has a bipolar disorder, has a blog with video clips that presents the various shifts in her life. In other videos and blog postings, she describes a period of psychosis so severe she jumped out of her mother’s car and ran away like a scared dog. Like many Americans who have severe forms of mental illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Ms. Spikol is speaking candidly and publicly about her demons.

This frank talk is part of a conversation about mental illness (or as some prefer to put it, “extreme mental states”) that stretches from college campuses to community health centers, from YouTube to online forums. “Until now, the acceptance of mental illness has pretty much stopped at depression,” said Charles Barber, a lecturer in psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. “But a newer generation, fueled by the Internet and other sophisticated delivery systems, is saying, We deserve to be heard, too. ”

About 5.7 million Americans over 18 have bipolar disorder, which is classified as a mood disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Another 2.4 million have schizophrenia, which is considered a thought disorder. The small slice of this disparate population who have chosen to share their experiences with the public liken their efforts to those of the gay-rights and similar movements of a generation ago. Just as gay-rights activists reclaimed the word queer as a badge of honor rather than a slur, these advocates proudly call themselves mad; they say their conditions do not preclude them from productive lives.

Mad pride events, organized by loosely connected groups in at least seven countries including Australia, South Africa and the United States, draw thousands of participants. Recent mad pride activities include a Mad Pride Cabaret in Vancouver, a Mad Pride March in Ghana, and a Bonkersfest in London that drew 3,000 participants.

Mad Pride Day, Toronto:

The Icarus Project says its participants are “navigating the space between brilliance and madness.” “We wanted to create a new language that resonated with our actual experiences,” Mr. DuBrul said in a telephone interview. Some Icarus Project members argue that their conditions are not illnesses, but rather, “dangerous gifts” that require attention, care and vigilance to contain. “I take drugs to control my superpowers,” Mr. DuBrul said.